Reading of the Past : Maze of Bones
by Divineparrots
Summary: What happens when the first book of the 39 Clues series is sent back in time to a healthier and younger Grace Cahill's basement? Who will be called to take on the secret of the book? Will they attempt to change the future? Read to find out. Adopted from greekgirl211.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** While cleaning her basement, Grace discovers the first book of the 39 Clues series. Baffled by her sudden discovery, Grace summons her fellow cahills for a book-reading session. Contains, Hope Cahill, Arthur Trent, Eisenhower Holt, Mary-Todd Holt, Coara Wizard, Broderick Wizard, Alistair Oh, Irina Spasky and Isabel Kabra. As well as guest star appearance of Amy and Dan Cahill and Ian and Natalie Kabra.

**Setting:** Two years before Hope and Arthur were caught in the fire

**Disclaimer**: I don't 39 Clues or the 39 Clues characters. Everything belongs to the authors.

* * *

Grace Cahill shifted another dust-covered box coughing incessantly. She was cleaning out her basement which she hadn't even touched for years. She heaved a great cough as she took another breath in a vain attempt to restock her oxygen supply.

_Goodness me, this goes to show that putting things off never works, _thought Grace annoyed as she picked up a picture which 5-year-old Amy Cahill had drawn and had somehow ended up here. It was a picture of her and Amy in the library. Chuckling lightly, she carefully folded the picture and planned to frame it later.

She grabbed a stack of dusty papers and placed them on the ground. She was about to grab another when a picture of a skull caught her eye. Puzzled, she picked up the book which the skull was printed on and brushed the accumulating dust off. The cover looked brand new. It was colored blue and had the picture of a ring of skeletons on it. The strange thing was that each skull had a roman numeral printed on it. It was entitled, 39 CLUES: THE MAZE OF BONES BY RICK RIORDAN.

Grace turned it over to read, examining the book closely with her eagle eye.

_Strange, I don't remember buying a book recently…_

As she read the synopsis, she felt her eyes go wide and her mouth fall open. Abandoning all hope of having a clean, dustless basement, she rushed up stairs to phone her family members. But, only a select few…

After making a few phone calls, Grace waited for her guests to arrive, holding her book closely against her as though someone might appear from the shadows and steal it away, and knowing this family, it just might. Moments later, a helicopter landed on the helicopter pad on Grace's roof. A stunningly young, elegant lady in green suede shoes emerged from the cockpit. Most people would consider her as a beauty queen. The way she held herself obviously filled with confidence. Her huge amber eyes and gleaming dark hair were to die for. Grace, however, was not impressed by her good-looks or her richness. She grimaced but gave a small bow. Then, straightening up, extended her hand.

"Welcome to my home, Isabel."

Isabel Kabra showed off a set of perfect teeth and grasped Grace's hand firmly in hers.

"The pleasure is mine, Grace."

Grace withdrew her hand quickly and gestured towards the guest room.

"The others will be arriving a little later. Feel free to make yourself at home."

Isabel nodded graciously at her guest and sauntered towards the room.

"Will do."

Before she took another step however, she turned back towards the cockpit and waited for someone to alight.

A twitch caught Grace's eye from the window and her head cocked to the side. Slowly, two heads of silky black hair appeared at the window. Amber eyes similar to his mother's followed soon after.

Grace suppressed the urge to coo. _They looked so adorable!_

The little boy and girl walked out of the helicopter. They both held themselves in the same regal confidence their mother did and were both dressed finely in expensive clothes. Holding the girl's had, he strutted over to his mother with the grace of an 8 year old, when in fact, he was only six.

Isabel shot a small apologetic smile at Grace pulling her out of her daydreams.

"Grace, these are my children, Ian and Natalie. Ian is 6 while Natalie is 3. Their nanny had to go on an urgent visit overseas and I couldn't leave them alone. So, I brought them here. I trust that will be alright with you."

Grace eyed the kids warily. Who knows what Isabel could have trained them for? For all she knew, all this could have been a plot to check up on her home while she was preoccupied with the others. Instead of diving deeper in the countless possibilities, she begrudgingly nodded her head.

Isabel smiled brightly.

"Thank you," she said and she settled into one of the sofas, Ian and Natalie following her lead.

The doorbell rang and Grace sighed before descending the stairs to answer it.

As Grace opened the door, she felt a genuine smile slowly spread on her face. She threw open the door and exclaimed, "Hope, Arthur!" before wrapping her arms around her daughter and son-in-law.

Hope Cahill and Arthur Trent smiled as Grace engulfed them in a huge hug. Arthur flashed a grin at Hope and laughed outright as she stared at his mother-in-laws reddish brown hair, which his wife and daughter had inherited.

"Long time no see, Grace," he laughed.

Grace pulled back and stared at Arthur amusement shining in her eyes.

"Agreed. Where have you been the past year?" she asked making a sad face.

Hope grinned at her mother her eyes full of unspoken secrets.

"Nothing much, mom. Taking vacations, occupied with work, we just didn't have enough time to check up on you."

Grace's pout deepened and her daughter smiled.

"And also, more problems with the kids."

Grace's ears pricked up at the smile at her grandchildren and immediately switched her attention. She distinctly remembered meeting Amy and Dan two years ago. Dan had only been 1 at that time and Amy 3. Both still looked as she remembered, with the exception of Amy whose hair had grown longer. Dan had dark blonde hair and the same green eyes her sister had and a light complexion. His sister the now 5-years-old Amy had the same reddish-brown hair her mother did and shared the same jade green eyes as her brother. She crouched down in front of the two quivering children at their feet and cooed,

"Don't you two look beautiful? Look at you Dan. Why, you were only this big when I last saw you!"

Dan basked in her praise and gave Grace a cute smile.

"Aww," she chorused as she picked Dan up and swung him in the air, with Dan giggling in delight the whole way. As she put Dan down, she felt a soft pull at her jeans. She turned her head to see a sad looking Amy clutching onto her leg.

"And don't think I forgot about you, Amy!" she poked at her side and Amy giggled.

She picked the two giggling children up and brought them into the room.

"Follow me," she yelled to Hope and Arthur who were standing at the front door watching the scene with amusement.

She seated the children at the sofa opposite the Kabras. Isabel stood up and approached Amy and Dan, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"Hello Amy, Dan," she purred, ruffling Dan's hair and patting Amy's cheek.

"It's been a while since I last saw you. Look at how much you've grown."

Hope and Arthur entered just then and stiffened when they saw Isabel near their children.

Hope gave her a forced smile and nodded stiffly in her direction.

"What a pleasant surprise to see you, Isabel."

Her eyes betrayed her greeting. Arthur addressed her the same way. Grace switched her gaze between them confused.

"Is something the matter?" she asked, wondering what might have happened between them the past few years.

It was Arthur who answered.

"No, everything's just fine, Grace."

Grace didn't believe a word of it but she believed they would tell her when they believed it was time.

Isabel returned to her children and Arthur and Hope sat at their respective places, hesitantly.

A moment of awkward silence passed when suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Grace was just about to stand up to answer the door when Hope bolted up and announced, "I'll get it." then left without waiting for an answer.

Grace settled back down again uneasily. _All will be revealed in due time_,a_ll will be revealed in due time_, she chanted in her head. Still, she couldn't prevent the growing curiosity from within her.

Soon, Hope returned with both Alistair Oh and Irina Spasky. Irina looked as threatening as ever. Her nails were painted purple which was quite suitable since her nails actually contained poison. Her left eye twitched when she saw Isabel but otherwise, she kept it in control. Alistair was wearing the usual outfit he wore for confrontations: A crisply gray silk suit, a yellow shirt bright and clean and a bowler hat tilted at an angle. Grace stood up to greet them.

"Welcome," she said as she shook their hands and told them to have a seat.

"What have you called us here for?" asked Irina from the soft recliner she sat on. Everyone sat forward waiting for her answer.

Grace hesitated then answered curtly, "I'll tell you when all the Cahills have arrived."

Irina didn't look satisfied with her short answer but nodded and sat back.

A loud banging on the door caught their attention. Almost immediately, Grace knew who had arrived.

"Holts," she muttered under her breath as she rose to answer the door.

They looked huge standing at the door. They were all the things a Tomas should have. Big, muscular, thick necks, meaty hands and a face a pro-wrestler could have had. They all wore purple track suits and I could see their purple minivan parked at her drive-way. Grace wondered whether they had an obsession with that color, or how the Holts managed to squeeze into that little van. Tearing her gaze away from their mode of transport, Grace put on a friendly smile and waved them in.

"Welcome to my home. Now that you're here, all we have to wait for is the Wizards."

Eisenhower Holt, the leader of the family, grunted before hunching over to fit through the door to enter her home. Grace bit back a laugh at the sight of such big people in her small home.

Just as Mary-Todd, Eisenhower's wife entered, a long, black limo pulled up at the drive-way.

Grace half-smiled.

"It appears that the Wizards are here. Please make your way to the guest room. Ascend the first stair case on the right and walk straight."

Eisenhower seemed to be in deep thought and he turned towards his wife.

"What's ascend again?"

Mary-Todd sighed and pushed him towards the staircase.

"It means go up, Honey Bunch."

Grace watched her lug her husband up the stairs. She shook her head, a half-smile on her face, and welcomed the Wizards, Cora and Broderick Wizard.

Cora had a 'hippie-like' appearance. Long dark hair, chocolate-covered eyes and dressed in flowery clothes and bell-bottom jeans. Broderick looked like an African American bald man in his late 30's.

Grace smiled and led them to the guest room.

Once they were seated, Grace ticked them off of her mental list.

Hope and Arthur, Mary-Todd and Eisenhower, Cora and Broderick, Irina and Alistair.

All present and accounted for. Grace cleared her throat to catch their attention. Once the room was quiet, she started.

"I'm sure you all must be wondering as to why you here," murmurs of agreement sounded in the room.

"The reason is because of this." She took the book out of her shirt pocket and raised it to show her audience.

Eisenhower scoffed.

"You called us here to read a book?"

Grace shot him a dirty look before clearing her throat again to tone done any arguments that had erupted in the room.

"But, not just any book. A book from the future."

Before anyone could speak, Grace read the back summary to them.

**What would happen if you discovered that your family was one of the most powerful in human history? What if you were told that the source of the family's power was hidden around the world, in the form of 39 clues? What if you were given a choice-take a million dollars and walk away… or get the first Clue. If you're Amy and Dan Cahill, you take the Clue- and begin a very dangerous race.**

The silence was deafening. All heads had turned to the two children at Hope and Arthur's side. Amy was squirming under their intense gazes and even Dan looked uncomfortable.

Grace allowed the silence to go on for a few more seconds before she broke it.

"And so," she said, drawing the Cahills attention away from Amy and Dan and to her, "This is why we have to read the book."

Isabel Kabra broke out of her daze first and looked extremely excited.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Read the book!"

Hope and Arthur shot her a dirty look and snuggled towards their children closer.

"I will read first," said Hope in a soft but firm voice. She stared at Isabel daring for her to argue but she only shrugged. Hope rose and took the book from Grace's hand before settling down again and flipping the book to the first page.

**Hi, this story is originally by greekgirl211 and I ****_have_**** asked for permission to adopt it. Neither of us owns the Maze of Bones, it's all Rick Riordan's. After the next chapter, it'll be my original bit. Please review and let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

Hope cleared her throat and started reading.

**Five minutes before she died, Grace Cahill changed her will.**

Her voice wavered at the end of the sentence and her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Everyone had turned to Grace with sympathy or in Isabel's case, glee.

_One opponent down…_

Grace met her daughter's eyes, stunned but mildly annoyed.

"What? I'm not dead yet!"

Arthur cracked a smile at her mother-in-laws humor but even he was crest-fallen.

None of them could imagine a world without Grace and her crazy antics.

**Her lawyer brought out the alternate version, which had been her most guarded secret for seven years.**

**Whether or not she would actually be crazy enough to use it, William McIntyre had never been certain.**

Grace beamed.

"Ah, William. I should've invited him here to read this with us," she shrugged, "Oh, well."

**"Madam," he asked, "Are you sure?"**

**Grace gazed out the window, across the sunlit meadows of her estate.**

**Her cat, Saladin, snuggled beside her as he had throughout her illness but his presence was not enough to comfort her today. She was about to set in motion events that might cause the end of the civilization.**

Saladin gave a satisfied, _Mrp_, at the mention of his name.

**"Yes, William." Her every breath was painful. "I'm sure."**

She winced and Hope paused for a moment to sob.

**William broke the seal on the brown leather folder. He was a tall craggy man. His nose was pointed like a sundial so it always cast a shadow over one side of his face.**

Grace digested that for a minute before she burst out laughing.

"I'm sure he would have loved to hear his description," she giggled.

**He had been Grace's adviser, her closest confident, for half her life. They'd shared many secrets over the years, but none as perilous as this.**

Isabel scoffed.

"Please, Grace. You make the clue hunt almost sound dangerous."

Grace noticed that almost everyone's lips drop at the sides.

**He held the document for her to review. A fit of coughing wracked her body.**

Again, Grace winced.

**Saladin meowed with concern.**

**Once the coughing passed, William helped her take the pen. She scrawled her weak signature across the paper.**

**"They are so young," William lamented. "If only their parents –"**

Eisenhower frowned.

"Who's 'they'?"

Nobody answered. They were just as confused.

**"But their parents didn't," Grace said bitterly. "And now the children must be old enough. They are our only chance."**

Everyone's annoyance grew. What in the world was Grace talking about?

**"If they don't succeed –"**

**"Then five hundred years of work have been for nothing," Grace said. "Everything collapses. The family, the world – all of it."**

Cora rolled her eyes.

"Dramatic, much?"

Nobody answered, not that she expected anyone to. Hope, Arthur and Grace shared a secretive look.

If only they knew…

**William nodded grimly. He took the folder from her hands.**

**Grace sat back, stroking Saladin's silver fur. The scene outside the window made her sad. It was too gorgeous day to die.**

Alistair shook his head, "Typical Grace. You're just about to die and all you can think about is the weather."

**She wanted to have one last picnic with the children. She wanted to be young and strong and travel the world again.**

"And a picnic, and travelling the world," Alistair continued, sighing out every word.

"I get it!" yelled Grace exasperated.

Alistair smiled as though he had completed his mission.

**But her eyesight was failing. Her lungs labored. She clutched her jade necklace – a good-luck talisman she'd found in China years ago.**

Her hand moved towards her neck where a familiar necklace lay. She sighed.

**It had seen her through many close calls with death, many lucky misses. But the talisman couldn't help her anymore.**

Hope sobbed again and her voice became heavy with tears.

**She'd worked hard to prepare for this day. Still, there was so much she'd left undone… so much she had never told the children.**

**"It will be have to be enough," she whispered.**

**And with that, Grace Cahill closed her eyes for the last time.**

Tears streamed down Hope's cheeks and everyone looked sullen. A melancholy mood fell on the room.

**When he was sure Grace had passed away, William McIntire went to the window and closed the curtains. William preferred darkness. It seemed more proper for the business at hand.**

**The door opened behind him. Grace's cat hissed and disappeared under the bed.**

Grace frowned. Who could that be?

**William didn't look back. He was staring at Grace Cahill's signature on her new will, which had just become the most important document in the Cahill family's history.**

**"Well?" a brusque voice said.**

**William turned. A man stood in the doorway, his face obscured by shadows, his suit as black as oil.**

Suddenly, a brainwave struck and Grace gasped. It was him! Everyone turned to see what the matter was but Grace shook her head deep in thought.

**"It's time," William said. "Make sure they suspect nothing."**

**William couldn't tell for sure. But he thought the man in black smiled.**

**"Don't worry," the man promised. "They'll never have a clue."**

Arthur gently pried the book from Hope's fingers and handed it to Alistair, who was sitting beside them squirming uncomfortably.

He gestured for him to continue reading then he stood up with Hope leaning against him, sobs wracking her body. They shuffled into the kitchen. Grace's eyes followed them worriedly. She debated on whether to follow them or not but decided on the latter. She sighed and slumped dejectedly into her seat. She pulled a sad-faced looking Dan and Amy onto her lap and buried her face in their hair.

"Continue," she said, her voice muffled.

Alistair flipped the book to the correct page and started reading where they left off.

* * *

**If some people were wondering, I wrote this part so new readers can understand it. Next chapter is my own bit, so please do review. Again neither I or greekgirl211 own the 39 Clues and I don't own the plot or the first two chapters of this story.**


	3. Chapter 3

_Alistair flipped the book to the correct page and started reading where they left off..._** Chapter 1**

**Dan Cahill thought he had the most annoying sister in the world.**

Grace forced a smile, she didn't know why her grandchildren were in the book but she would've thought this line is the most normal thing in Cahill history.

**And that was **_**before**_** she sat fire to two million dollars.**

**It all started when they went to their grandmother's funeral. Secretly, Dan was excited, because he was hoping to make a rubbing of her tombstone after anyone else was gone. **

Hope and Arthur came back in with worried faces. They stared at Dan, shocked their son was thinking of that. Isabel stuck up her nose at the thought Ian and Natalie following her lead. Little Dan stuck out his tongue at them.

**He figured out Grace wouldn't care. She'd been a cool grandmother.**

**Dan loved collecting things. He collected baseball cards, autographs of famous outlaws, Civil war weapons, rare coins, and every cast he'd ever had since kindergarten (all twelve of them). **

Now everyone was staring at Dan who was playing happily on Grace's lap. Amy scooted a few centimeters away from her brother. _Dweeb,_ she thought.

**At the moment, what he liked collecting best were charcoal rubbing of tombstones. He had some awesome ones back at the apartment. His favorite read:**

**PRUELLA GOODE**

**1891-1929**

**I'M DEAD. LET'S HAVE A PARTY.**

The room was silent in shock, though everyone (not including the Cobras, er sorry Kabras) inwardly laughed agreeing it was hilarious.

**He figured if he had a rubbing of Grace's tombstone in his collection, maybe it wouldn't feel quite so much like she was gone forever.**

Hope's eyes started welling up again but she blinked them away as Arthur put his arm around her. Grace was sad and happy that Dan cared for her so much but was going to be hurt after she was gone.

**Anyway, the whole way from Boston to the funeral in Worcester Country, his great-aunt Beatrice **

Hope and Grace frowned looking at the children, "Why are they with Aunt Beatrice?" Hope asked incredously and Arthur frowned he didn't know a Beatrice. Grace shrugged "Alistair, read so we can find out."

Alistair for a change complied to another Cahill's wish.

**His great-aunt Beatrice was driving like a very slow lunatic. She went twenty-five miles an hour on the highway and kept drifting across lanes so the other cars honked and swerved and ran into guardrails and stuff. Aunt Beatrice just kept clutching the wheel with her jeweled fingers. **

Everyone couldn't help but to shudder. Isabel looked disgusted, that many jewels was an outrage!

**Her wrinkly face was made up with Day-Glo red lipstick and rough, which made her blue hair look even bluer. Dan wondered if she gave the other drivers nightmares about old clowns. **

Even though they shouldn't the other Cahills excluding of course the Co-er Kabras and Irina let out a few laughs.

**"Amy!" she snapped, as another SUV careened down the exit ramp because Beatrice had just pulled in front of it. "Stop reading in the car! It's not safe!" **

They stared the book, _Reading_ was unsafe but recklessly driving isn't? Grace rolled her eyes, Beactrice like always was such a hypocrite.

**"But, Aunt Beatrice –"**

**"Young lady, close that book!"**

**Amy did, which was typical. She never put up a fight with adults. Amy had long reddish-brown hair, unlike Dan's, which was dark blond. This helped Dan pretend his sister was an alien imposter, but unfortunately they had the same eyes – green like jade, their grandmother used to say. **

Eisenhower leaned forward until he could see Amy and Dan's eyes. "The book's right." His loud and deep voice bellowed. Mary-Todd lay a hand on her husband's shoulder "I'm sure it is dear, how about coming a bit back? The children look squished." Eisenhower grunted before falling back allowing Dan and Amy to once again breathe.

**Amy was three years older and six inches taller then Dan, and she never let him forget it – like being fourteen was such a big deal. **

**Usually, she wore jeans and some old T-shirt because she didn't like people noticing her, but today she was wearing a black dress so she looked like a vampire's bride. **

Irina rose a brow, an interesting description.

**Dan hoped her outfit was as uncomfortable as his stupid suit and tie. **

Hope and Arthur softly smiled at their son's antics. Tears forgotten Arthur picked Dan up who gave a cheeky grin.

**Aunt Beatrice had thrown a fit when he tried to go to the funeral in his ninja clothes. **

Cora rolled her eyes at the young Cahill's immaturity. Jonah will never act like that she promised herself.

Grace frowned, why was Beatrice in charge? She shrugged, maybe Hope and Arthur were too upset to take care of Amy and Dan.

**It wasn't as if Grace would care if he was comfortable and deadly, the way he felt when he pretended to be a ninja, but of course Aunt Beatrice didn't understand. Sometimes it was hard to him to believe she and Grace were sisters.**

**"Remind me to fire your au pair as soon as we return to Boston," Beatrice grumbled. "You two have been entirely too spoiled."**

**"Nellie's nice!" Dan protested. **

"Who's Nellie?" Broderick asked. Of course no one knew the answer.

**"Hmph! This **_**Nellie**_** almost let you burn down the neighbor's apartment building!"**

**"Exactly!" **

Eisenhower grinned, "You know your kid's turn'in out to be okay." hope and Arthur nodded unsure whether or not it was a compliment.

**Every couple of weeks, Beatrice fired their au pair and hired a new one. The only good thing was that Aunt Beatrice didn't live with them personally. She lived across town in a building that didn't allow kids, so sometimes it took her a few days to hear about Dan's latest exploits. **

Now Grace was getting worried. _Every couple of weeks? They lived in an apartment across from her? _Isabel scoffed "There's no building that doesn't allow kids. Dogs maybe, but not kids."

**Nellie had lasted longer than the most. **

**Dan liked her because she made amazing waffles and she usually cranked her iPod up to brain-damage level.**

**She didn't even hear when Dan's bottle rocket collection went off and strafed the building across the alley.**

"Irresponsible." Irina muttered.

**Dan would miss Nellie when she got fired. ****Aunt Beatrice kept driving and muttered about spoiled children. Amy secretly went back to her huge book.**

Grace smiled at her granddaughter. She shared her mother's love of reading.

**The last two days' since they got the news about Grace's death, Amy had been reading more than usual. Dan knew it was her way of hiding, but he kind of resented it because it shut him out, too. **

Mary-Todd frowned "They shouldn't be hiding like this."

**"What are you reading this time?" he asked. "**_**Medieval European Doorknobs**_**? **_**Bath Towels Through the Ages**_**?" **

Hope gave a soft smile, Dan was just like his father.

**Amy gave him an ugly face – or Uglier-then-usual face. **

Amy glared at her younger brother, even though he had no idea what was going on. Broderick smiled, he only wished Jonah could act like that too.

**"None of your business, dweeb."**

**"You can't call a ninja lord **_**dweeb**_**. You have disgraced the family. You must commit seppuku."**

**Amy rolled her eyes. **

Eisenhower frowned "The kid knows what seppuku is?" Then smiled "Oh yeah, that kid is definitely okay by us, right Holts?!" "YES SIR!" Grace was confused for a second before remembering that seppuku was created by the Tomas.

**After a few more miles, the city melted into farmland. It started to look like Grace country, and even though Dan had promised himself he wouldn't get sappy, he began to feel sad. Grace had been the coolest ever. **

Once again tears filled up in Hope's eyes.

**She'd treated him and Amy like real people, not kids. That's why she'd insisted they simply called her Grace, not Grandmother or Gran or Nana or any silly name like that. She'd been one of the only people who'd cared about them. **

Grace frowned "That doesn't sound right." Cora cut in "Grace if I remember correctly, then in the first chapter we read, it said "the children," and "their parents didn't" so if this book is about Amy and Dan, the parents might be Hope and Arthur." Isabel rolled her eyes that didn't help, it only brought more questions.

**Now she was dead, and they had to go to the funeral and see a bunch of relatives who had **_**never**_** been nice to** **them... **

* * *

**The family cemetery sat at the bottom of the hill from the mansion. Dan thought it was kind of stupid they'd hired a hearse to carry Grace a hundred yards down the driveway. They could've put wheels on the coffin like they have on suitcases and that would've worked just as well. **

The other Cahills rolled their eyes even though they agreed that Grace would've like that a lot better. "What?!" Grace yelled when everyone started staring at her, she sighed. "Alright, I guess I might have liked that."

**Summer storm clouds rumbled overhead. The family mansion looked dark and gloomy on its hill, like a lord's castle. Dan loved the place, with its billion rooms and chimneys and stained glass windows.**

**He loved the family graveyard even more. **

All the Cahills shuddered, what was there to like about graveyards? Well other than getting rid of your enemies of course.

**A dozen crumbling tombstones spread out across a green meadow ringed in trees, right next to a little creek. Some of the stones were so old the writing had faded away. Grace and Amy would spend the afternoon on a picnic blanket, reading and talking, while Dan explored the graves and the woods and the creek.**

_**Stop that**_**, Dan told himself. **_**You're getting sentimental.**_

**"So many people," Amy murmured, as they walked down the driveway.**

**"You're not going to freak out, are you?**

**Amy fiddled the collar of her dress. "I'm – I'm not freaking out. I just –"**

**"You hate crowds," he finished. "But you **_**knew **_**there'd be a crowd. They come every year." **

Grace noted something. When Madeline was in hiding she developed a fear of talking to crowds. Perhaps it was given on to her descendants.

**Each winter, as long as Dan could remember, Grace had invited relatives from all over the world for a weeklong holiday. The mansion filled up with Chinese Cahills and British Cahills a****nd South African Cahills and Venezuelan Cahills. Most of them didn't even go by the name Cahill, but Grace assured him they were all related. She'd explain about cousins and second cousins and cousins three times removed until Dan's brain started to hurt. Amy usually go hide in the library with the cat.**

Grace smiled as said cat,who sat near her leg and glared at C-Kabras.

**"I know," she said. "But… I mean, **_**look**_** at them all."**

**She had a point. All four hundred people were gathering at the grave site.**

**"They just want her fortune," Dan decided.**

**"Dan!"**

**"Well? It's true."**

**They just joined the procession when Dan suddenly got flipped upside down. **

A look of confusion came on Broderick's face "What happened." No one could answer.

**"Hey!" he yelled.**

**"Look, guys," a girl said, "We caught a rat!"**

**Dan wasn't in a good position to see, but he could make out the Holt sisters – Madison and Reagan – standing on either side of him, holding him by his ankles. **

Look of confusion gone, and Eisenhower and Mary-Todd looked proud.

**The twins had matching purple running suits, blond pigtails, and crooked smiles. They were only eleven, same as Dan, but they had no trouble holding him. Dan saw more purple running suits behind them – the rest of the Holt family. Their pit bull, Arnold raced around their legs and barked. **

Yeah, those two were really proud.

**"Let's fling him into the creek," Madison said.**

**"I wanna fling him into the bushes!" Reagan said. "We never do **_**my**_** ideas!"**

**Their older brother, Hamilton, laughed like an idiot. **

Not so proud anymore.

**Next to him, their dad, Eisenhower Holt, and their mom, Mary-Todd, grinned like this was all good fun.**

**"Now, girls," Eisenhower said. "We can't go flinging people at the funeral. This is a happy occasion!" **

"Happy occasion?" Grace asked offended. Eisenhower looked at the book in surprise "I wouldn't-say..."

**"Amy!" Dan called. "A little help here?"**

**Her face had gone pale. She mumbled, "Dr-dr-drop…"**

**Dan sighed in exasperation. "She's trying to say 'DROP ME'!" **

**Madison and Reagan did – on his head.**

**"Ow!" Dan Said.**

**"M-M-Madison!" Amy protested.**

**"Y-y-yes?" Madison mimicked. "I think all those books are turning your brain to mush, weirdo." **

Eisenhower looked guilty at what his kids were doing. Just the slightest.

**If it was anybody else, Dan would've hit back, but he knew better with the Holts. Even Madison and Reagan, the youngest, could cream him. **

Forced smiles came on.

**The whole Holt family was way too buff. They had meaty hands and thick necks and faces that looked like G.I. Joe figures. Even the mom looked like she should be shaving and chewing on a cigar. **

Mary-Todd was a mixture of proudness and being offended.

**"I hope you losers took a good last look around the house," Madison said. "You're not going to be invited back here anymore, now that the old witch is dead." **

"Sorry," Eisenhower muttered.

**"**_**Rawf!**_**" said Arnold the pit bull.**

**Dan looked around for Beatrice, but as usual she wasn't anywhere near them. She'd drifted of to talk to the other old people.**

**"Grace wasn't a witch," Dan said. "And **_**we're **_**going to inherit this place!"**

**The big brother, Hamilton, laughed. "Yeah, right." His hair was combed toward the middle so it stuck up like a shark fin. "Wait till they read the will, runt. I'm going to kick you out myself!"**

**"All right, team," the dad said, "Enough of this. Formation!"**

**The family lined up and started jogging toward the grave site, knocking other relatives out of their way as Arnold snapped at everyone's heels.**

**"Is your head okay?" Amy asked guiltily.**

**Dan nodded. He was a little annoyed Amy hadn't helped him, but there was no point complaining about that. She always got tongue-tied around other people. "Man, I hate the Holts."**

**"We've got worse problems." Amy pointed toward the grave site, and Dan's heart sank.**

******"The Cobras," he muttered.**

Isabel frowned, "Who does he mean?"

**Ian and Natalie Kabra were standing by Grace's coffin, looking like perfect little angels as they talked to the preacher. They wore matching designer mourning outfits that complemented their silky black hair and cinnamon-colored skin. They could've been child supermodels. ****  
**

Isabel smirked at her children's description.

**"They won't try anything during the funeral," Dan said "They're here for Grace's money like the rest of them. But they won't get it."**

**Amy frowned. "Dan… did you really believe what you said, about us inheriting the mansion?"**

**"Of course! You know Grace liked us the best. We spent more time with her than anybody."**

**"Amy sighed like Dan was too young to understand, which Dan hated.**

Grace nodded remembering what Beatrice was like.

**"Come in," she said. "We might as well get this over with." And together they waded into the crowd.**

**The funeral was a blur to Dan. The minister said some stuff about ashes. They lowered the coffin into the ground. Everybody tossed in a shovelful of dirt. Dan thought the mourners enjoyed this part too much, especially Ian and Natalie. **

The other Cahills rolled their eyes, like parents like children.

**He recognized a few more relatives: Alistair Oh, the old Korean dude **

Alistair looked hurt at his description. Grace laughed "Alistair please continue reading."

**with the diamond-tipped walking stick who always insisted they will call him Uncle; **

Still unhappy with his description, held said diamond-tipped walking stick and continued in a upset voice.

**the Russian lady Irina Spasky, who had a twitch in one eye so everybody called her Spaz behind her back; **

"Russian lady, Spaz?" Irina asked. The others looked away.

**the Starling triplets – Ned, Ted, and Sinead, who looked like part of cloned Ivy League lacrosse team. Even that kid from television was there.**

**He stood to one side, getting his picture taken with a bunch of girls, and there was a line of people waiting to talk yo him. He was dressed just like on TV, with lots of silver chains and bracelets, ripped jeans, and a black muscle shirt (which was kind of stupid, since he didn't have any muscles). An older African-American guy in a business suit stood behind him, punching notes in a BlackBerry. Probably Jonah's dad. Dan heard that Jonah Wizard was related to the Cahills, but he'd never seen him in person before. He wondered if he should get an autograph for his collection. **

Cora and Broderick looked upset and Jonah's and his description. "Flattering, isn't he." Cora muttered.

**After the service, a guy in a charcoal-gray suit stepped to the podium. He looked vaguely familiar to Dan. The man had a long pointed nose and a balding head. He reminded Dan of a vulture. **

Grace laughed "On second thought maybe it was a good thing William isn't here."

**"Thank you all for coming," he said gravely. "I am William McIntyre, Madame Cahill's lawyer and executor."**

**"Executor?" Dan whispered to Amy. "He killed her?" **

Cue eyes rolls. Even for Dan that was stupid. the other Cahills thought based on their descriptions.

**"No, you idiot," Amy whispered back. "That means he's in charge of her will."**

**"If you will look inside your programs," William McIntyre continued, "some of you will find a gold invitation card."**

**Excited murmuring broke out as four hundred people leafed through their programs. Then most of them cursed and shouted complaints when they found nothing. Dan ripped through his program. Inside was a card with a gold-leafed border. It read:**

_**Dan and Amy Cahill are hereby invited to the**_

_**reading of**_

_**the last will and testament of Grace Cahill**_

**WHERE**

_**The Great Hall, Cahill Manor**_

**WHEN**

_**Now**_

**"I knew it!" Dan said.**

**"I assure you," Mr. McIntyre said, raising his voice above the crowd, "the invitations were not done randomly, I apologize to those of you who were excluded. Grace Cahill meant you no disrespect. Of all of the members of the Cahill clan, only a few were chosen as the most likely."**

**The crowed started yelling and arguing. Finally, Dan couldn't stand it anymore. He called out, "Most likely to what?"**

**"In your case, Dan," Ian Kabra muttered right behind him, "to be a stupid American git." **

Isabel looked proud and Ian smirked. Dan glared and stuck his tongue out. Amy watched the scene happen and was surprised her brother understood what was happening.

**His sister, Natalie, giggled. She was holding an invitation and looked very pleased with herself.**

**Before Dan could kick Ian in a soft spot, **

Alistair couldn't help it, he laughed. So did everyone else except of course the Kabras.

**the grey gray-suited guy answered. "To be the beneficiaries of Grace Cahill's will. Now, if you please, those with invitations will gather in the Great Hall."**

**People with invitations hurried toward the house like somebody had just yelled, "Free food!"**

**Natalie Kabra winked at Dan. "**_**Ciao, **_**cousin. Must run collect our fortune."**

**Then she and her brother strolled up the drive.**

**"Forget them," Amy said. "Dan, maybe you're right. Maybe we'll inherit something."**

**But Dan frowned. If the invitation was such a great thing, why did the lawyer guy look so grim? And why had Grace included the Kabras?**

**As he passed through the main entrance of the mansion, Dan glanced at the stone crest above the door – a large C surrounded by four smaller designs – a dragon, **

Alistair straightened as he read.

**a bear, **

The Holts grinned with pride.

**a wolf **

Cora looked extremely pleased

**and two snakes entwined around a sword. **

Isabel looked as proud as ever. Maybe more.

**The crest always fascinated Dan, though he didn't know what it meant. All the animals seemed to glare at him, like they were about to strike. He followed the crowd inside, wondering why the animals were so mad.**

Grace's eyes widened that was true, and a good analysis for someone who doesn't even know about it.

**The great hall was as big as a basketball court, with tons of armor and swords lining the walls and huge windows that looked like Batman could crash through them any minute.**

**William McIntyre stood at a table in front with a projector screen behind him, while everybody else flied into rows of seats. There were about forty people in all, including the Holts and the Kabras and Aunt Beatrice, who looked completely disgusted to be there – or maybe she was just disgusted that everybody **_**else**_** had been invited to her sister's will reading.**

**Mr. McIntyre raised his hand for quite. He slipped a document from a brown leather folder, adjusted his bifocals, and began to read: "'I, Grace Cahill, being of sound of mind and body, do hereby divide my entire estate among those who accept the challenge and those who do not.'"**

**"Whoa," Eisenhower Holt interrupted, "What challenge? What's she mean?"**

**"I am getting into that' sir," Mr. McIntyre cleared his throat and continued: "'You have been chosen as the most likely to succeed in the greatest, most perilous undertaking of all time – a quest of vital importance to the Cahill family and the world at large.'" **

Isabel rolled her eyes "The clue hunt isn't perilous." The others deadpanned at Isabel's words.

**Forty people started talking at once, asking questions and demanding answers.**

**"'Perilous undertaking?'" Cousin Ingrid shouted. "What is she talking about?" **

**"I thought this was about money!" Uncle Jose**__**yelled. "A quest? Who does she think we are? We're Cahills, not adventurers!" **

Cora rolled her eyes. Was Jose really part of the Janus?"

**Dan noticed Ian and Natalie Kabra exchange a meaningful look. Irina Spasky whispered something in Alistair Oh's ear, but most of the other spectators looked as confused as Dan felt.**

**"Ladies and gentlemen, please," Mr. McIntyre said, "If you will direct your attention to the screen, perhaps Madame Cahill can explain thing better then I."**

**Dan's heart did a flip-flop. What was Mr. McIntyre talking about? Then a projector on the ceiling hummed to life. The shouting in the room died down as Grace's image flickered on the screen.**

**She was sitting up in bed with Saladin on her lap. She wore a black dressing gown, like she was a mourner at her own funeral, but she looked healthier than the last time Dan had seen her. Her complexion was pink. Her face and hands didn't look as thin. The video must've been months ago, before her cancer got bad. Dan got a lump in his throat. He had a crazy urge to call to her: **_**Grace, It's me! It's Dan!**_

Grace's eyes softened.

**But of course it was just an image. He looked at Amy and saw a tear trickling down the base of her nose.**

**"Fellow Cahill," Grace said, "If you are watching this, is means I am dead, and I have decided to use my alternate will. **

Isabel looked at her "What was the original will?" Grace shrugged.

**No doubt you are arguing amongst yourselves and giving poor Mr. McIntyre a hard time about this contest I have instituted." Grace gave the camera a dry smile. "You always were a stubborn bunch. For once, close your mouths and listen."**

**"Hey, wait a minute!" Eisenhower Holt protested, but his wife shushed him. **

Eisenhower looked annoyed at himself in the future.

**"I assure you," Grace continued, "this contest is no trick. It is deadly serious business. Most of you know you belong to the Cahill family, but many of you may not realize just how important our family is. I tell you the Cahills have had a greater impact on human civilization than any other family in the history."**

**More confused shouting broke out. Irina Spasky stood up and yelled, "Silence! I wish to hear!" **

Irina gave a soft smile. It was nice to hear they listened to her.

**"My relatives," Grace's image said, "you stand on the brink of our greatest challenge. Each of you has the potential to succeed. Some of you may decide to form a team with other people in this room to pursue the challenge. Some of you nay prefer to take up the challenge alone. Most of you, I'm afraid, will decline the challenge and run away with your tails between your legs. **

**Only **_**one**_** team will succeed, and each of you must sacrifice your share of the inheritance to participate."**

**She held up a manila envelope sealed with red wax. Her eyes were bright and hard as steel. "If you accept, you shall be given the first of thirty-nine clues. These clues will lead you to a secret, which, should you find it, will make you the most powerful, influential human beings on the planet. You will realize the destiny of the Cahill family. I now beg you all to listen to Mr. McIntyre. Allow him to explain the rules. Think long and hard before you make your choice." She stared straight into the camera, and Dan wanted her to say something special to them: **_**Dan and Amy, I'll miss you most of all. Nobody else in this room really matters to me.**_** Something like that. **

Grace looked sorry and confused at the same time. Why didn't Dan mention his parents?

**Instead, Grace said, "I'm counting on you all. Good luck, and good-bye."**

**The screen went dark. Amy gripped Dan's hand. Her fingers were trembling. To Dan, it felt like they'd just lost Grace all over again. Then everyone around them started talking at once.**

**"Greatest family in the history?" Cousin Ingrid yelled. "Is she crazy?"**

_**"Stubborn?"**_** Eisenhower Holt shouted. "She called **_**us**_** stubborn?"**

**"William!" Alistair Oh's voice rose above the rest. "Just a moment! There are some people here I don't recognize, people who may not even be members of the family. How do we know –"**

**"If you are in this room, sir," Mr. McIntyre said, "you are a Cahill. Whether your surname is Cahill or not doesn't matter. Everyone here has Cahill blood."**

**"Even you, Mr. McIntyre?" Natalie Kabra asked in her silky British accent.**

**The old lawyer flushed. "Tat, miss, is beside the point, Now, if I might be allowed to finish –"**

**"But what's this about sacrificing our heritance?" Aunt Beatrice complained. "Where's the money? It's just like my sister to come up with some foolishness!"**

"Beatrice cares so much." Grace lamented sarcastically.

**"Madame," Mr. McIntyre said, "you may certainly decline the challenge. If you do, you will receive what is under your chair."**

**Immediately, forty people felt around under their chairs. Eisenhower Holt was so anxious he picked up Reagan's chair with her still on it. **

Eisenhower shrugged.

**Dan discovered an envelope under his, stuck on with tape. When he opened it, he found a green slip of paper with a bunch of numbers and the words ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND. Amy had one, too. So did everybody else in the room.**

**"What you now hold is a bank voucher," Mr. McIntyre explained. "It shall only be activated if and when renounce your claim to the challenge. If you choose, each of you may walk out of this room with one million dollars and never have to think about Grace Cahill or her last wishes again. Or… you may choose a clue – a single clue that will be your only inheritance. No money. No property. Just a clue that might lead you to the most important treasure in the world and make you powerful beyond belief…"**

**William's gray eyes seemed to settle on Dan particularly. "… or it might kill you.**

******One million dollars or the clue. You have five minutes to decide."**

"Well isn't that an easy decision?" Mary-Todd asked rolling her eyes. Alistair closed the book "That was end of the chapter." Broderick took the book "I'll read." Suddenly the doorbell rang. Grace and everyone else were surprised no one else knew of this then? Grace got up to open the door...

* * *

**Well, the first chapter of many. I'm going to try my best to upload every week or so. This is my first 39 clues fic so please let me know if I get something wrong. Again I do not own the 39 Clues at all. Review this chapter, (really helps with updates) and I'll be seeing you around. By the way you can check out my other account CelestialTitania for my other stories. Especially if you're a Percy Jackson fan or Fairy Tail fan. **

**~Sakuya~**


	4. Chapter 4

_Suddenly the doorbell rang. Grace and everyone else were surprised no one else knew of this then? Grace got up to open the door... _

It was William McIntyre. He walked in the door and nodded to all the Cahills. "Hello Madame Grace. I'm surprised at the visitors you have over." Grace smiled and explained to Mr. McIntyre **(A/N, I'm going to call him Mr. McIntyre but when someone speaks he'll be William.)** what had happened. He took the book and read through the prologue and first chapter raising a brow and his description. He looked sadly at Grace who rolled her eyes "I'm not dying yet, so wipe that look off your face!" Mr. McIntyre smiled and took a seat.

Arthur took the book, "I'll read."...**Chapter 2 **

**Amy Cahill thought she had the most annoying little brother on the planet.**

Everyone nodded and looked at Amy. This chapter was about her.

**And that was **_**before**_** he almost got her killed.**

**It all started when Mr. McIntyre read their grandmother's will and showed them the video.**

**Amy sat there in shock. She found herself holding a green slip of paper worth one million dollars.**

**A challenge? A dangerous secret? What was going on? She stared at the blank projector screen. She couldn't believe her grandmother would do something like this. The video must have been made months ago, judging from the way Grace had looked. Seeing her on the screen like that had stung Amy worse than salt in a cut. How could Grace have been planning something this huge and not have warned them in advance?**

**Amy never expected to inherit much. **

Grace looked shocked. "Why not?"

**All she wanted was something to remember Grace by – a keepsake, maybe one piece of her beautiful jewelry. Now this… she felt completely lost.**

**It didn't help that Dan was jumping around like he needed to go to the restroom. "One million dollars!" he squealed. "I could get Mickey Mantle rookie card **_**and**_** a Babe Ruth 1914!"**

**His tie was crooked, which matched his crooked grin. He had a scar under one eye from when he'd gone commando-raiding at seven and fallen on his plastic AK-47. That's just the kind of little demon he was. **

Eisenhower and Arthur laughed while the other either stayed impassive or rolled their eyes. Little Dan stuck his tongue out at Little Amy.

**But what Amy really resented was how comfortable he seemed, like all these people didn't bother. **

**Amy hated crowds.**

Grace noted that mentally.

** She felt like anyone was watching her, waiting for her to make a fool of herself.**

** Sometimes in her nightmares, she dreamed she was at the bottom of a pit, and all the people she knew were staring down at her, laughing. She'd try to climb out of the pit, but she could never make it.**

"That's a bit... extreme." Cora said.

**Right now, all she wanted to do was run up to Grace's library, close the door, and curl up with a book. She wanted to find Saladin, Grace's Egyptian Mau, and cuddle with him. But Grace was dead, and the poor cat… who knew where he was now? She blinked tears out of her eyes, thinking about the last time she'd seen her grandmother.**

_**You will make me proud, Amy, **_**Grace had said. They'd been sitting on Grace's big four-poster bed, with Saladin purring next to them. Grace had shown her a hand-drawn map of Africa and told her stories about the adventures she'd had when she was a young explorer. Grace had looked thin and frail, but the fire in here eyes was as fierce as ever. The sunlight turned her hair to pure silver. **_**I had many adventures, my dear, but they will pale next to yours.**_

Hope and Arthur looked at Grace and their children in worry. They didn't want their children involved in the clue hunt.

**Amy wanted to cry. How could Grace think that Amy would have great adventures? She could barely muster enough courage to go to school every morning.**

Isabel stared in disbelief. Not having courage, was this one even a Cahill?

**"I could get a ninja sword," Dan kept babbling. "Or a Civil War saber!"**

**"Dan, shut up," she said. "This is serious."**

**"But the money –"**

**"I know," she said. "But if we took the money, we'd need to keep it for college and stuff. You know how Aunt Beatrice is."**

**Dan frowned like he'd forgotten. **

Hope stood up confusion gracing her delicate features, "I don't understand, why is Aunt Beatrice taking all of their decisions or influencing them?!" Grace took her daughter's hand "Hope, calm down. As we read, I'm sure we'll find out."

**He knew good and well that Aunt Beatrice only looked after them for Grace's sake. Amy always wished had adopted them after their parents died,**

The book fell out of Arthur's hands and crashed on the oriental rug. Hope pressed against Arthur in silent tears. Neither was she able to end the pain were going to suffer or raised them properly. Irina having some sympathy (albeit little but still...) picked the book and began to read.

** but she hadn't. For reasons she never explained, she'd pressured Beatrice into being their guardian instead.**

**For the last seven years, Dan and Amy had been at Beatrice's mercy, living in a little apartment with a series of au pairs. Beatrice paid for anything, but she didn't pay much. Amy and Dan got enough to eat and a new set of clothing every six month, but that was it. **

**No birthday presents. **

**No special treats.**

** No allowance. **

Grace winced, surely she had given some of those things to them right?

**They went to regular public school and Amy never had extra money to buy books. She used the public library, or sometimes she'd hang out at the second-hand bookshop on Boylston, where the staff knew her. Dan made a little money on his own trading collectible cards, but it wasn't much. **

Grace looked and Mr. McIntyre pained and a single glance from him made her understand. To be a member of their branch one had to be kind and humble. If they were spoiled that wouldn't happen.

**Every weekday for seven years, Amy had resented Grace for not raising them herself, but every weekend Amy just couldn't stay mad at her.**

Grace was a little hurt and little glad. After all what had to be done, had to be done. But it still hurt.

** When they came to the mansion, Grace gave them undivided attention. She treated them like the most important people in the world. Whenever Amy got the courage to ask why they couldn't stay with Grace all the time, Grace just smiled sadly.**_**There are reasons, dear. Someday, you will understand.**_

**Now Grace was gone. Amy didn't know what Aunt Beatrice would do, but they could definitely use the money. It would mean they'd have some independence. They could get a bigger apartment, maybe. They could buy books whenever they wanted and even go to college. **

Arthur stared at the book, not understanding. Was everything he had first learned about the Cahills true? If so he definitely hoped they chose the money. He knew this much from these books and living with the Cahills and he was sure, one of the Cahills were responsible for his and Hope's death.

**She didn't even know why she and Dan carried their mom's maiden name – Cahill – when their dad's last name had been Trent.**

**She'd asked Grace about it once, but Grace had only smiled. "It's how your parents wanted it," she said. But the stubborn pride in her voice made Amy wonder if it had been Grace's idea for them to carry the Cahill name. **

Grace gave a small grin, making all the other Cahills wary and suspicious.

**Amy had trouble remembering her mother's face, or **_**anything**_** about her parents before the terrible night they died. **

Alistair winced, he himself couldn't remember much about his own father Gordon Oh.

**And that was something Amy tried hard time to think about.**

**"Okay," Dan said slowly. "So I'll spend **_**my**_** million on my collection. You can spend yours on college. And everybody's happy."**

**Amy felt heartsick. Arguments were braking out all over the room. The Holts looked like they were conducting a combat exercise. **

Mary-Todd and Eisenhower grinned in pride and relief. Some of the tension was easing out and the mood got thankfully lighter.

**Sinead Starling was holding her brothers, Ned and Ted, apart so they wouldn't strangle each other. **

_All _the Cahills frowned then shrugged. Mr. McIntyre spoke up "I do believe that those are Denise Starling's children."

**Irina Spasky was talking in rapid-fire Russian to that kid from the reality TV show, Jonah Wizard, and his dad, but from the way they were staring at her, it was obvious they didn't speak Russian. **

Broderick whipped out his BlackBerry and furiously typed in a few words. Cora read over his shoulder "Teach Jonah and self, Russian?" Broderick shrugged though Irina had a faint yet smug grin.

**Angry voices filled the Great Hall. It was like they were tearing up Grace bit by bit, squabbling over her inheritance. They didn't care at all that Amy's grandmother had just passed away. **

All of the Cahills (except Grace, Arthur, Hope, Mr. McIntyre and the Kabras) looked guilty.

**Then somebody right behind her said, "You'll decline the challenge, of course."**

**It was Ian Kabra, with his annoying sister, Natalie, at his side. **

Isabel frowned/glared at the words. You don't call a _Kabra _annoying.

**Despite herself, Amy's stomach did a little somersault, because Ian was very good looking. He had gorgeous dark skin, amber eyes, and a perfect smile. **

Arthur and Isabel glared at each other furiously. _That will NEVER happen! _They conveyed mentally. Some of the others shuddered. Namely Broderick and Mr. McIntyre, who had never seen such a heated death glare all their life... Until now, that is.

**He was fourteen, same as her, but he dressed like a groan up, in a silk suit and a tie. He even smelled good, like clove. **

The glare continued though one could see Arthur gave a small shudder first.

**Amy hated herself for noticing. **

The glare still continued though Arthur got fiercer after hearing that.

**"I would be sad if something happened to you," Ian purred. **

**"And you so need the money."**

**Natalie put her hands to her mouth in mock surprise. She looked like a life-size doll in her satin dress, her luxurious black hair swept over one shoulder. "That's right, Ian! They're poor. I keep forgetting. It seems so odd we're related, doesn't it?" **

Isabel broke the glare and gave an exasperated look. She realized what her children were trying to do, but they might've well just up a board saying "Go on the Hunt!" These weren't normal people, they were Cahills.

**Amy felt herself blush. She wanted to say something scathing in reply, but her voice wouldn't work.**

**"Oh, yeah?" Dan said. "Well, maybe we're **_**not**_** related! Maybe you're mutant aliens, because **_**real**_** kids don't dress like bankers and fly around in their daddy's privet jet." **

The Cahills bit back grins at Isabel furious face.

**Ian smiled. "You misunderstand me, dear cousin. We're very happy for you. We want you to take the money, have a wonderful life, and never think about us again." **

"I agree with the last one." Arthur and Irina said simultaneously.

**"G-G-Grace," Amy managed, hating her voice wouldn't cooperate. "G-Grace would want –"**

**"Would want you to risk your lives?" Ian supplied. "How do you know? Did she tell you about this contest she was planning?" **

Grace winced and Cora grimaced. "Low blow." She said in a soft voice.

**Neither Amy nor Dan answered.**

**"I see," Ian said. "That must be terrible – thinking you were Grace's favorites and then being left in the dark like that.**

**Perhaps you weren't as important to the old woman as you thought, eh?"**

**"Now, Ian," Natalie chided. "Perhaps Grace just knew they weren't up to the challenge. It sounds quite dangerous." Natalie smiled at Amy. "We'd hate to see you suffer a painful death, wouldn't we? Ta-ta!" **

**The Kabras drifted off through the crowd.**

_**"Ta-ta,"**_** Dan mimicked. "What losers." **

Eisenhower started bellowing in laughter and the others howled in glee. _Revenge_, they thought. Well... Isabel was livid but no one really cared at the moment.

**Part of Amy wanted to chase down the Kabras and hit them with a chair. **

Everyone but the Kabra's sighed mournful/regretfully. Little Ian looked at Little Amy in shock who looked a teensy bit proud.

**But part of her wanted to crawl under a rock and hide. She'd wanted so badly to tell them off, but she hadn't even been able to**_**speak**_**.**

**"They're taking the challenge," she muttered. **

Isabel smiled though everyone looked horrified. Isabel was a crazy woman, who knows what her children are like?

**"Well, duh!" Dan said. "What's another two million dollars to them? They can afford to give it up."**

**"They were threatening us. They don't want us involved." **

The smile was wiped off he face. She _knew_ that would happen.

**"Maybe **_**they'll**_** suffer a painful death," Dan mused. **

Some of the Cahills enjoyed the comment. The ones near Isabel did not.

**"I wonder what the treasure is, anyway."**

**"Does it matter?" Amy asked bitterly. "**_**We**_** can't look for it. We barely have enough money for bus passes."**

**But still she found herself wondering. Grace had explored all over the world. Could the treasure be a lost Egyptian tomb… or pirates' gold? Mr. McIntyre said the prize would make the winners the most powerful human beings on earth. What could do that? And why were there exactly thirty-nine clues?**

**She couldn't help being curious. She loved mysteries. When she was younger, she used to pretend her mother was still alive, and they would travel together to archaeological digs. **

A muffled sob came from Hope who had gotten up from Arthur's chest and was trying hard to not cry.

**Sometimes Grace would go, too, just the three of them together, happily exploring the world, but that was just silly pretending.**

**"Too bad," Dan grumbled, "I'd love to wipe the smiles off the Cobras' faces…."**

**Just then, Aunt Beatrice grabbed their arms. Her face was contorted with rage and her breath smelled like mothballs. **

Grace and Allistair gagged. "She is horrible." The two agreed.

**"You two will do nothing ridiculous! I fully intend to take my million dollars, and you will do the same! Never fear, I'll put it in an account for you until you're adults. I'll only spend the interest. In return, I will allow you to continue as my wards."**

**Amy choked with rage. "You… you'll **_**allow**_** us to be your wards? You'll **_**allow**_** us to give you our two million dollars?"**

**As soon as she said it, she couldn't believe she'd managed to get the words out. Beatrice usually scared her to death.**

Yet another similarity, Grace noted.

** Even Dan looked impressed.**

**"Watch your place, young lady!" Beatrice warned. "Do the responsible thing or else!"**

**"Or else what?" Dan asked innocently.**

**Beatrice's face turned bright red. "Or else, you little upstart, I will disown you and leave you to Social Services. You will be penniless orphans, and I'll make sure no Cahill ever helps you again! **

**This whole business is absurd. You'll take the money and wash your hands of my sister's ridiculous scheme for finding the –" **

"Clues." Isabel finished like it was nothing important.

**She stopped abruptly.**

**"Finding the what?" Dan asked.**

**"Never you mind," Beatrice said. With a shock, Amy realized Aunt Beatrice was **_**scared**_**. "Just make the right choice, or you'll never have my support again!"**

**She marched off. Amy looked at Dan, but before she could say anything, Mr. McIntyre rang a little bell. Slowly, the wrangling and arguing in the Great Hall died down. The assembly took their seats.**

**"It is time," Mr. McIntyre said. "I must warn you that once the choice is made, there is no turning back. No changing minds."**

**"Wait a moment, William," Alistair Oh said. "This isn't fair. We know almost nothing about the challenge. How are we to judge whether it is worth the gamble?" **

As looks went to Allistair. he shrugged. "I suppose I was a bit wary. After all no one has ever made the Hunt official."

**Mr. McIntyre pursed his lips. "I am limited in what I can say, sir. You know that the Cahill family is very large… very old. It has many branches. **

Cora was amused, "So four are many, huh William?" Mr. McIntyre flushed "I, er, well..." He glanced at Grace, who understood why he said many. After all saying there are four isn't true and no one knows about the missing one.

**Some of you, until today, did not even realize you were Cahills. **

"No, I think most of us knew." Mary-Todd said. "And some of us aren't exactly Cahill." Broderick added.

**But as Madame Grace said in her video address, this family has been instrumental in shaping human civilization. Some of the most important figures in history have in fact been Cahills."**

**Excited muttering filled the room.**

**"Historical figures?" Mr. Holt bellowed. "Like who?"**

**Mr. McIntyre cleared his throat. "Sir, you would be hard-pressed to name a major historical figure in the last few centuries who was **_**not**_** a member of this family.**

**"Abraham Lincoln,"**

"Ekat." Allistair said.

** Cousin Ingrid shouted out. "Eleanor Roosevelt." **

"Lucian." Isabel smiled.

**"Yes," Nr. McIntyre said simply. "And yes."**

**A stunned silence fell in the room.**

**"Harry Houdini!"**

"Janus," Cora and Broderick stated.

** Madison Holt shouted.**

**"Lewis and Clark!"**

"Tomas!" Eisenhower shouted and Mary-Todd grinned.

** her sister, Reagan, suggested.**

**"Yes, yes and yes," Mr. McIntyre said.**

**"Oh, come on!" Mr. Holt yelled. "That's impossible!"**

**"I agree!" Uncle José**** said. "You're putting us on, McIntyre!"**

**"I am completely serious," the old lawyer assured him. "And yet, all the previous accomplishments of the Cahill clan are nothing compared to the challenge that now faces you. It is the time for you to discover the greatest secret of the Cahills, to become the most powerful members of the family in history – or to die trying."**

**Amy felt something cold an heavy in her stomach, like she'd swallowed a cannonball. How could she be related to all those famous people? How could Grace possibly have thought Amy could become more powerful than them? She got nervous just thinking about it. There was no way she'd have the courage for a dangerous quest. **

Some of the nicer and saner Cahills felt a bit bad. Dangerous was an understatement.

**If she and Dan didn't accept the challenge… She remembered Beatrice clutching their arms, telling them to take the money. Beatrice would find a way to steal their two million dollars. Amy wouldn't be able to stand up to her. They would go back to their dreary little apartment and nothing would change, except Grace would be gone. No weekend trips to look forward to, nothing to remember her by. Amy never thought anything could be worse than when her parents died, but **_**this**_** was. She and Dan were totally alone. **

Hope blinked hard to stop the flow of tears and Arthur put an arm around her. She knew he was pained too.

**The only way out was this crazy idea that they were part of a great historical family… part of some mysterious contest. Amy's hands started to sweat.**

**"Embarking on this quest," Mr. McIntyre was saying, "will lead you to the treasure. But **_**only**_** one of you will attain it. **

_Yeah,_ all the Cahills thought _My child/me! _

**One individual"–his eyes flickered across Amy's face–"or one team will find the treasure. I can tell you no more. I do not, myself, know where the chase will lead. I can only start you on the path, monitor your progress, **

**and provide some small measure of guidance. Now – who will choose first?"**

**Aunt Beatrice stood. "This is ridiculous. Any of you who play this silly game are fools. I'll take the money!" **

Of course, no one was surprised at her choice.

**Mr. McIntyre nodded. "As you wish, madam. As soon as you leave this room, the numbers on your voucher will become active. You may withdraw your money from the Royal Bank of Scotland at your leisure. Who's next?"**

**Several more stood up and took the money. Uncle José. Cousin Ingrid. A dozen other people Amy didn't recognize. Each took the green voucher and became an instant millionaire.**

******Then Ian and Natalie Kabra rose.**

Isabel straightened with pride. "That's right, Kabra's are always first."

**"We accept the challenge," Ian announced. "We will work as a team of two. Give us the clue."**

**"Very well," Mr. McIntyre said. "Your vouchers, please."**

**Ian and Natalie approached the table. Mr. McIntyre took out a silver cigarette lighter and burned the million-dollar papers. In return, he handed Ian and Natalie a manila envelope sealed with red wax. "Your first clue. You may not read it until instructed to do so. You, Ian and Natalie, will be Team One."**

**"Hey!" Mr. Holt objected. "Our whole family's taking the challenge! **_**We**_** want to be Team One!" **

Eisenhower glared at Isabel.

**"We're number one!" the Holt kids started chanting, and their pit bull, Arnold, leaped into the air and barked along with them. **

Mary-Todd flushed at the stares directed at them.

**Mr. McIntyre raised his hand for silence. "Very well, Mr. Holt. Your family's vouchers, please. You shall be Team… uh, you shall also be a team."**

**They made the trade – five million-dollar vouchers for one envelope with a clue, and the Holts didn't even bat an eye.**

"Huh," Eisenhower said shrugging.

** As they marched back to their seats, Reagan bumped Amy in the shoulder. "No pain, no gain, wimp!" **

Eisenhower beamed with pride "That's my kid!"

**Next, Alistair Oh struggled to his feet. "Oh, very well. I can't resist a good riddle. I suppose you may call me Team Three." **

Alistair shrugged "I probably didn't want the newcomers to know I've had experience."

**Then the Starling triplets rushed forward. They put their vouchers on the table and three million more dollars went up in flames. **

They all frowned and once again Mr. McIntyre reminded them "Denise Starling's kids."

_**"Da,"**_** Irina Spasky said. ****"I, also, shall play this game. I work alone." **

Irina briefly paused and if you squinted you could see the ghost of a smile.

**"Hey, yo, wait up." Jonah Wizard sauntered forward like he was pretending to be a street punk, the way he did on **_**Who Wants to Be a Gangsta?**_** Which was kind of ridiculous since he was worth about a billion dollars and lived in Beverly Hills. **

Broderick was proud and Cora was... Well she felt something.

**"I'm all over this." He slapped his voucher on the table. "Hand me the clue, homes."**

**"We'd like to film the contest," his dad piped up.**

**"No," Mr. McIntyre said,**

**"'Cause it would make great TV," the dad said. "I could talk to the studios about a percentage split –" **

Broderick was a bit embarrassed, but he shook it off.

_**"No,"**_** Mr. McIntyre insisted. "This is not for entertainment, sir. This is a matter of life and death."**

**Mr. McIntyre looked around the room and focused on Amy.**

**"Who else?" he called. "Now is the time to choose."**

**Amy realized she and Dan were the last ones undecided. Most of the forty guests had taken the money. Six teams had taken the challenge – all of them older or richer or seemingly more likely to succeed than Amy and Dan. Aunt Beatrice glared at them, warning them that they were about to get disowned. Ian was smiling smugly. **_**Perhaps you weren't as important to the old woman as you thought, eh?**_** Amy remembered what hi annoying sister, Natalie, had said: **_**Grace just knew they weren't up to the challenge.**_

Isabel could smack something in frustration right now. What was typically a good technique was going to be used against her children. She needed to give them more training. Much more training. Maybe these books weren't a complete waste of time.

**Amy's face felt hot with shame. Maybe the Kabras were right. When the Holts turned her brother upside down, she hadn't fought back. **

**When the Kabras insulted her, she'd just stood there tongue-tied. How could she handle a dangerous quest?**

**But then she heard another voice in her head: **_**You will make me proud, Amy.**_

**And suddenly she knew: **_**This**_** was what Grace had been talking about. This was the adventure Amy was supposed to take. If she didn't, she might as well crawl under a rock and hide for the rest of her life.**

**She looked at her brother. Despite how annoying he was, they had been able to communicate just by looking at each other. **

Everyone looked at Little Dan and Amy at surprise.

**It wasn't telepathy or anything, but she could tell what her brother was thinking. **

They really had to remember this detail.

_**It's a lot of money,**_** Dan told her. **_**A lot of awesome baseball cards. **_

_**Mom and Dad would want us to try,**_** Amy replied with her eyes. **_**This is what Grace wanted us to do.**_

_**Yeah, but a Babe Ruth and a Mickey Mantle…**_

_**Ian and Natalie would hate it, **_**Amy coaxed. **_**And Aunt Beatrice will probably blow a gasket.**_

Grace and Alistair laughed "To make Beatrice mad and her unable to do anything back... It's too good of an opportunity to miss!"

**A smile crept across his face. **_**I guess Babe Ruth can wait.**_

**Amy took his voucher. They walked to the desk together and she picked up Mr. McIntyre's lighter.**

**"We're in," she told him, and she sent two million dollars up in smoke. **

"Done." Irina said her thick Russian accent making it hard to understand. Mary-Todd understanding took the book from her hands. "I'll read, if no one else wants to."

No one objected as Mary-Todd began to read...**Chapter 4**

* * *

**Ok, it's done. And I realize it's late but I was busy updating some of my other fics on my other account. Please, please, please review to encourage write more and faster. I've been noticing it's harder to come up with what they are going to say, since they don't really know much about the future people. Anyways I don't own the Maze of Bones or the 39 Clues. Well, I do have some of the clues on my account but that's a different matter.**

**Some of the Thank yous, **

**Epic Books (Guest): You are very welcome I adopted it. Thanks for all the compliments and I'm trying my best to update regularly. Thanks for all the reviews.**

**JEMILYLOVER1234: Uh... here's the update!**

**Anyways thanks to all or followed or favourited **

**Bye!**

**~Sakuya~**


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